Interior walls of residential and commercial buildings often require the use of wallboard panels that are attached to studs with nails or other fasteners. Joints between adjacent panels are filled using a joint compound to conceal the joints. The procedure for concealing joints and producing a smooth seamless wall surface typically includes applying the compound within the joint or seam formed by abutting panels; reinforcing tape material is then embedded within the joint compound, which is then allowed to harden. After hardening, a second layer of joint compound is applied over the joint and tape to completely fill the joint and provide a smooth surface. After this layer is allowed to harden, the joint compound is sanded smooth to eliminate surface irregularities. Joint compound can also be used to conceal other defects caused by nails or screws or to repair other imperfections or damages in the wallboard. Multiple applications of joint compound are often required to address problems associated with reduction of compound volume upon drying (shrinkage) such as cracking of the dried coating and minimizing telegraphing.
A variety of drywall joint compounds are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,052,544 discloses a wall repair compound, which, when sanded, generates a lower level of airborne particles than conventional joint compounds. Nevertheless, a need still exists in the art for joint compounds that are easier to apply, and require less tedium in producing smooth defect-free surfaces with a minimum of shrinkage of the dried coating.